Feasibility and Preliminary Effects of Acupuncture for Cognitive Dysfunction in Diverse Cancer Survivors: A Pilot, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial
(1) Background: This pilot study evaluates the feasibility and preliminary effects of acupuncture for cancer-related cognitive dysfunction (CRCD) in cancer survivors. (2) Methods: A randomized trial comparing real acupuncture (RA) to sham acupuncture (SA) and waitlist control (WLC) among cancer surv...
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| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Current Oncology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1718-7729/32/1/27 |
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| author | Xiaotong Li Kaitlin Lampson Tim A. Ahles James C. Root Q. Susan Li Yuelin Li Anam Ahsan Jun J. Mao Kevin T. Liou |
| author_facet | Xiaotong Li Kaitlin Lampson Tim A. Ahles James C. Root Q. Susan Li Yuelin Li Anam Ahsan Jun J. Mao Kevin T. Liou |
| author_sort | Xiaotong Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | (1) Background: This pilot study evaluates the feasibility and preliminary effects of acupuncture for cancer-related cognitive dysfunction (CRCD) in cancer survivors. (2) Methods: A randomized trial comparing real acupuncture (RA) to sham acupuncture (SA) and waitlist control (WLC) among cancer survivors reporting cognitive difficulties. Interventions were delivered weekly over 10 weeks. Feasibility was evaluated by recruitment, treatment adherence, and assessment completion. Subjective CRCD was assessed by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function—Perceived Cognitive Impairment subscale (FACT-Cog PCI) and objective CRCD was assessed by the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test—Revised (HVLT-R). (3) Results: 32 participants (57.1% of eligible patients) were enrolled. All participants in acupuncture groups completed ≥8 of 10 treatments. Assessment completion rate was 100% for all participants. From baseline to week 10, the RA group (n = 19) reported a clinically meaningful 17.3-point increase in FACT-Cog PCI (95% confidence interval [CI] 12.5 to 22.1), compared to 9.7 points (95% CI 2.8 to 16.7) in the SA group (n = 9), and 6.8 points (95% CI −3.7 to 17.2) in the WLC group (n = 4). In the subgroup analysis among patients with a below-average baseline HVLT-R (T-score < 50), the RA group (n = 8) increased FACT-Cog PCI scores by 20.4 (95% CI 13.6 to 27.3), compared to 11.1 points (95% CI 0.6 to 21.5) in the SA group (n = 5). The improvements from RA persisted through week 16 in both the total sample and the sub-group. Eleven mild adverse events were reported, with pain and bleeding at the needling sites being the most common. (4) Conclusions: The findings support the feasibility and safety of conducting a randomized, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate acupuncture for cognitive dysfunction in cancer survivors. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-28281cd6b2ae40cea91f8bc7ff2a2ae7 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1198-0052 1718-7729 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Current Oncology |
| spelling | doaj-art-28281cd6b2ae40cea91f8bc7ff2a2ae72025-01-24T13:28:24ZengMDPI AGCurrent Oncology1198-00521718-77292025-01-013212710.3390/curroncol32010027Feasibility and Preliminary Effects of Acupuncture for Cognitive Dysfunction in Diverse Cancer Survivors: A Pilot, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled TrialXiaotong Li0Kaitlin Lampson1Tim A. Ahles2James C. Root3Q. Susan Li4Yuelin Li5Anam Ahsan6Jun J. Mao7Kevin T. Liou8Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USADepartment of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USADepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USADepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USADepartment of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USADepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USADepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USADepartment of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USADepartment of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA(1) Background: This pilot study evaluates the feasibility and preliminary effects of acupuncture for cancer-related cognitive dysfunction (CRCD) in cancer survivors. (2) Methods: A randomized trial comparing real acupuncture (RA) to sham acupuncture (SA) and waitlist control (WLC) among cancer survivors reporting cognitive difficulties. Interventions were delivered weekly over 10 weeks. Feasibility was evaluated by recruitment, treatment adherence, and assessment completion. Subjective CRCD was assessed by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function—Perceived Cognitive Impairment subscale (FACT-Cog PCI) and objective CRCD was assessed by the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test—Revised (HVLT-R). (3) Results: 32 participants (57.1% of eligible patients) were enrolled. All participants in acupuncture groups completed ≥8 of 10 treatments. Assessment completion rate was 100% for all participants. From baseline to week 10, the RA group (n = 19) reported a clinically meaningful 17.3-point increase in FACT-Cog PCI (95% confidence interval [CI] 12.5 to 22.1), compared to 9.7 points (95% CI 2.8 to 16.7) in the SA group (n = 9), and 6.8 points (95% CI −3.7 to 17.2) in the WLC group (n = 4). In the subgroup analysis among patients with a below-average baseline HVLT-R (T-score < 50), the RA group (n = 8) increased FACT-Cog PCI scores by 20.4 (95% CI 13.6 to 27.3), compared to 11.1 points (95% CI 0.6 to 21.5) in the SA group (n = 5). The improvements from RA persisted through week 16 in both the total sample and the sub-group. Eleven mild adverse events were reported, with pain and bleeding at the needling sites being the most common. (4) Conclusions: The findings support the feasibility and safety of conducting a randomized, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate acupuncture for cognitive dysfunction in cancer survivors.https://www.mdpi.com/1718-7729/32/1/27acupuncturepilot studycognitive dysfunctioncancer survivorshipfeasibility |
| spellingShingle | Xiaotong Li Kaitlin Lampson Tim A. Ahles James C. Root Q. Susan Li Yuelin Li Anam Ahsan Jun J. Mao Kevin T. Liou Feasibility and Preliminary Effects of Acupuncture for Cognitive Dysfunction in Diverse Cancer Survivors: A Pilot, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial Current Oncology acupuncture pilot study cognitive dysfunction cancer survivorship feasibility |
| title | Feasibility and Preliminary Effects of Acupuncture for Cognitive Dysfunction in Diverse Cancer Survivors: A Pilot, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial |
| title_full | Feasibility and Preliminary Effects of Acupuncture for Cognitive Dysfunction in Diverse Cancer Survivors: A Pilot, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial |
| title_fullStr | Feasibility and Preliminary Effects of Acupuncture for Cognitive Dysfunction in Diverse Cancer Survivors: A Pilot, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | Feasibility and Preliminary Effects of Acupuncture for Cognitive Dysfunction in Diverse Cancer Survivors: A Pilot, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial |
| title_short | Feasibility and Preliminary Effects of Acupuncture for Cognitive Dysfunction in Diverse Cancer Survivors: A Pilot, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial |
| title_sort | feasibility and preliminary effects of acupuncture for cognitive dysfunction in diverse cancer survivors a pilot randomized placebo controlled trial |
| topic | acupuncture pilot study cognitive dysfunction cancer survivorship feasibility |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1718-7729/32/1/27 |
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